Is 'Before We Were Yours' Based On A True Story?

The novel 'Before We Were Yours' is indeed rooted in a dark chapter of American history. It draws inspiration from the real-life scandal of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, where countless children were kidnapped or coerced from their families and sold to wealthy adoptive parents. The author, Lisa Wingate, meticulously researched this tragic period, blending fact with fiction to humanize the victims. The story follows the Foss siblings, whose lives mirror those of the actual children affected by this corrupt organization. While the characters are fictional, their struggles—being torn from their parents, enduring neglect, and fighting to reclaim their identities—reflect the harrowing experiences of many. The book’s emotional weight comes from its grounding in truth, making it a poignant reminder of a buried injustice.

Wingate’s narrative doesn’t just recount events; it immerses readers in the era’s social dynamics, from the poverty-stricken river folk to the powerful elites complicit in the system. The novel’s authenticity lies in its details: the suffocating heat of Memphis orphanages, the bureaucratic cruelty, and the resilience of survivors. By weaving real testimonies into the Foss family’s journey, Wingate amplifies voices that history nearly erased. This isn’t just a story—it’s a tribute.

Absolutely, 'Before We Were Yours' is based on shocking true events. The Tennessee Children’s Home Society, run by Georgia Tann, operated for decades, trafficking children to affluent families while their birth parents were lied to or threatened. Lisa Wingate’s novel fictionalizes this through the Foss siblings, but their ordeal—being snatched from their shantyboat home, separated, and subjected to abuse—mirrors countless real cases. The book’s power comes from its unflinching portrayal of systemic corruption. Wingate avoids sensationalism, instead focusing on the emotional aftermath for survivors, many of whom spent lifetimes searching for lost siblings. The parallels to historical records, like altered birth certificates and hushed adoptions, make the story hauntingly credible.

Yes, and the reality was worse than fiction. Georgia Tann’s adoption ring stole over 5,000 children, often targeting poor families or single mothers. 'Before We Were Yours' captures this through Rill Foss’s perspective, a composite of survivors’ stories. The novel exposes how legal systems enabled these crimes—judges took bribes, and paperwork erased identities. What gutted me was the detail: siblings deliberately scattered to prevent reunions, or babies labeled as “undesirable” left to die. Wingate’s research shows in the small horrors, like social workers bribing parents with groceries before snatching their kids.

It’s true. The book echoes actual cases from the 1920s–1950s where Georgia Tann’s orphanage sold kids like commodities. Wingate’s fictional Foss family embodies the trauma—losing their names, their roots, even their memories. Real survivors often discovered their pasts late in life, just like the characters. The novel’s strength is making history personal.